Nasty flu season strikes as H3N2 cases spike across Canada

WATCH ABOVE: Some areas of Canada are seeing up to 40 per cent more flu cases than last year. The reason? This year’s flu vaccine isn’t as effective at combating the predominant strain. As Vassy Kapelos reports, emergency rooms are overflowing with infected patients.

TORONTO – The flu season arrived just in time for the New Year: across the country, hospitals are bracing for patients sick with H3N2.

The majority of flu cases are coming out of Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, but influenza is quickly gaining speed in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Newfoundland, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

In Winnipeg, hospitals recorded up to 900 emergency room visits per day. The average is about 700 to 750.

“We’ve experienced, over the last 48 to 72 hours, a significant increase in the number of people reporting to our emergency department,” said Lori Lamont, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s chief nursing officer.

Ottawa’s weekly Flu Watch report notes that the majority of flu cases is within the elderly population. Doctors aren’t surprised that this year’s flu season is leading up to increased hospital activity.

The H3N2 flu season in North America shares similarities with what happened months ago during the southern hemisphere’s flu season.

WATCH: The flu shot continues to be available throughout the province, although it’s not providing the level of protection officials had been hoping for. Heather Yourex reports.

Each year, strains of the influenzas mutate and re-emerge, infecting victims and triggering a new season. Those of us in the northern hemisphere keep a watchful eye over the flu in the southern hemisphere, which affects residents during their winter (or our summer).

The H3N2 strain is what affected seniors in the southern hemisphere and it was most pronounced on the tail end of the flu season, within the last six weeks, according to Dr. Gerald Evans, a Queen’s University medicine professor and chief of infectious diseases at Kingston General Hospital.

H3N2, traditionally, is more potent. Evans warned in November that if health officials are anticipating an H3N2 predominant season, there could be more hospitalizations.

“It’s possible this might be a flu season where we’ll see people get more ill, which causes people to require hospitalizations versus riding out the flu at home,” he said.

Scientists look at the patterns and make their predictions based on what viruses made their rounds below us and estimate what mutations could occur before the influenzas make their way over the equator.

WATCH: The flu season is already hitting hard across North America and in Nova Scotia, health officials are already dealing with several cases – much earlier than usual. Global’s Natasha Pace reports.

Picking out three strains for a vaccine is guesswork, and by the time influenza makes its way into the northern hemisphere, it’s had time to mutate or “drift.” But by then, the flu vaccine is already formulated.

This year, the vaccine isn’t as effective but health officials say it’s still worthwhile to roll up your sleeve and get the shot.